Cadet Force adults honoured at Everyday Heroes Awards

29 September 2017

Two ACF adults were awarded commendations for their heroic efforts in the St John Ambulance Everyday Heroes Awards.

The winners of the awards, which recognise the nation’s life savers and first aid champions, were announced at a special ceremony in London on 28 September, hosted by TV presenter and author Katie Piper.

Mark Farmer, Detachment Commander with 6 (Horndean) Platoon, Hampshire and Isle of Wight ACF, was awarded a special commendation in the Everyday Hero category.

Mark was visiting a friend’s farm in September 2016 when a 16-year-old boy had an accident whilst cutting logs, resulting in him losing three of his fingers. Mark raised the arm, applied pressure with his own hand, dressed the wound and treated the casualty for shock. He ensured the amputated fingers were wrapped in cling film and a cloth, then placed in a bag of frozen chips, which greatly increased the boy's chances of recovery.

Mark said the awards show was an evening to remember. "It was fabulous. Hearing all their stories and meeting all those people – it was a great evening. We don’t do these [heroic] things wanting recognition, but it is lovely to be recognised."

Meanwhile, Chloe Cook, a Probationary Instructor from Llangefni Detachment, Clwyd and Gwynedd ACF, was highly commended in the Hero Parent of the Year category for actions that saved her daughter's life.

Chloe's daughter, who was just a year old at the time of the incident, was struggling with health issues. Chloe had rung the hospital to see if she could have an emergency appointment but was told that the child would be fine. When her daughter began fitting and then became unresponsive Chloe used her first aid skills to carry out CPR.